THERE has been a big demand for Newport and Gwent Dragons season tickets plus the joint season ticket since the Argus story yesterday revealing the name change and the return of Tony Brown.

And that increases the chances of the Dragons signing an outside centre, though South African Robbie Fleck is now set for Bath after all the delays from the previous Gwent hierarchy.

Telephone lines at Newport Rugby Club barely stopped ringing since yesterday with inquiries for season tickets.

"Within the first few hours of the Argus coming out we had between 60 and 70 people in the offices to fill forms in for season tickets, and the phone was going non-stop," said Dragons chief executive David Jenkins.

"The tickets are very competitively priced, and we would like to do the same next year with other clubs in the region.

"If the interest levels go like the first few hours the indications are we would go into the market for an outside centre.

"The closing date for players to be registered for the Heineken Cup is also later and more flexible this year because of the World Cup."

Prices for a joint Newport/ Newport and Gwent Dragons premier season ticket in the Hazell stand: £299 full, £195 junior, £205 concessions, £405 one adult + one child, £785 two adults + two children; blocks A,D & E: £235, £110, £135, £280, £540; Hazell terrace: £155, £45, £100, £180, £365; Corporation Road Terrace: £155, £45, £100, £180, £365; disabled area: £190.

That means anyone buying a terrace season ticket will be able to watch 29 games at Rodney Parade (11 in the Celtic League, 3 in the Heineken Cup and 15 in the Welsh Premier Division) for just £5.34 a time, and anyone buying a premier stand ticket will pay £10.31 for each game.